Liberals will protect our suburbs

A Liberal government will introduce strict new planning rules within its first 100 days of office to protect the liveability and character of residential streets and neighbourhoods.

As MP for Box Hill, I strongly welcome this initiative, which will help protect suburbs across the electorate from Balwyn to Surrey Hills, to Mont Albert and Mont Albert North, Box Hill and Box Hill North, Blackburn and Blackburn North, Forest Hill and Nunawading.

The Andrews government's watering down of planning protections and other planning changes have unleashed a flood of inappropriate development and population pressures in our suburbs. Their changes have

removed dwelling limits per block

allowed increased building heights of 11 metres (3 storeys) in General Residential Zones

pushed high density development around activity centres such as Box Hill.

To make matters worse, the Andrews government has:

not provided the extra schools, transport and other services needed for our growing suburbs

scrapped the East West Link, wasting $1.3 billion and leaving us stuck in traffic

refused to fix unfair anomalies in local planning zones.

A Liberal government will give control back to local residents and councils and restore planning protections, including by:

reintroducing the two-dwelling limit on lots in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone

reducing the building height in the Neighbourhood Residential Zone

bringing back the 9 metre height limit in the General Residential Zone.

As your local Liberal MP, I’m also fighting to ensure our suburbs get their fair share of new infrastructure and services and backing the Liberal-Nationals’ decentralisation plans that will: